Political borders praised, blasted

LONG BEACH - Some residents of Long Beach and surrounding cities made pleas Wednesday evening to keep the existing boundaries of legislative and congressional districts, while others asked to end 20 years of gerrymandering.

The California Citizens Redistricting Commission heard from residents during a public input hearing at Long Beach City Hall, where about 200 people showed up. The commission is tasked with redrawing boundaries for congressional, state Assembly, state Senate and state Board of Equalization districts, and it is expected to have draft maps ready by June 10.

"Please consider allowing the current district lines to stay as they are," said Darlene Broom, a North Long Beach resident who works as a buyer for a manufacturing company.

Broom said that North Long Beach's proximity to Compton creates an African-American base there and should remain in the same district. Currently, North Long Beach is separated from most of the city within some governmental districts, such as state Senate.

Some speakers had other ideas.

"Let us keep it as one Long Beach," said Ahmed Saafir, a Central Long Beach resident who is a former member of the Civil Service Commission and a former City Council candidate, who advocated keeping as much of the city together as possible.

In some cases, surrounding cities have been lumped together with communities that some speakers said don't have a close connection.

"We have become somewhat of a poster child for gerrymandering," said Rancho Palos Verdes Councilman Stefan Wolowicz.

He and other residents from his area called for their communities to be put in districts with other cities up the coast, rather than combined with distant inland cities.

For example, communities on the Palos Verdes Peninsula are part of the 46th Congressional District, which includes the Port of Long Beach, a sliver of the Long Beach coastline, part of the Eastside and much of Orange County. Another district, the 25th state Senate District, has the shape of a backwards "c," extending from Inglewood through part of Long Beach and to the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

Both Long Beach and Peninsula residents seemed to agree that connecting the two communities just doesn't make sense - one man called the 46th District "an abomination."

Long Beach's largest congressional district, the 37th, is more than 54,000 residents below the needed population level and will have to grow, commission members said Wednesday.

When asked in what direction the district should grow, many local residents said the 37th, which is represented by Rep. Laura Richardson, D-Long Beach, should include the port. Because the port is in the 46th District, it is represented by Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, a Huntington Beach Republican.

In fact, the commission's staff members revealed, putting a section of Long Beach that includes the port in the 37th District would add 53,000 people, which is almost the amount that is needed.

Still, there was some trepidation about changes.

"Our current representation reflects the diversity and the values of this unique area," said Jacqui Stewart, a Carson resident and retired Carson city employee.